When Werewolves Fly
by LuxaLucifer
Summary: When Remus resigned from Hogwarts, he knew there would be owls from parents. He didn't expect there to be so many...or for them to be so hurtful. It takes a very unexpected letter in the mix to pull Remus from his depression.


Disclaimer- I don't own it.

Yup, another oneshot. Takes place right after Remus resigns from Hogwarts. Edited, because I found an abhorrent amount of spelling errors in it.

Enjoy! :)

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_'I hope you're happy, you miserable half-breed, you can't just come into Hogwarts and expect us to want you near the children, I can't imagine how you managed to trick Dumbledore into letting you teach, I expect he'll want a full inquiry. If he does, all he needs to do is come to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I'll be right there to help him every step of the way. If I ever see you near a child I won't hesitate to hex._

_Madam Edgecome'_

Remus put the letter down, sighed and ran a hand over his face. He was beginning to wish he had never taught at Hogwarts at all. He'd had to deal with persistent enmity with Snape, he'd felt constant guilty for betraying Dumbledore's trust, it had only reminded him how destitute his life really was, and now he was besieged with a flood of letters from disgruntled parents.

He'd been receiving such an influx of owls for the past two days that he'd had to book a room at a Muggle inn (despite his unwillingness to spend any of his carefully saved Hogwarts salary) so as not to attract attention on the street, what with all the owls swooping around his head. The last thing he needed was to be dragged in to the Ministry for breaking the International Statute of Secrecy so shortly after leaving Hogwarts.

Madam Edgecombe, whom he suspected was the mother of one his (former, he reminded himself) fourth-years, was one of the more polite people responsible for his sudden popularity. She, unlike three people so far, had not jinxed the envelope (he'd had to perform one counter-jinx wandless because his fingers had suddenly sprouted webs and become impossible to move- if he'd retained control of his hands he might had kept them, they were rather nice). He'd received what he thought might be a record twenty-three Howlers in two days and was certain the number would continue to climb- he'd had to cast Silencing Charms all around his room and had devised a drop box out of cardboard for the owls to drop the Howlers into, whereupon the owl in question would join its compatriots on the plank of wood Remus had charmed to the wall, drinking and eating from the owls he'd provided.

Remus secretly thought that, before long, he might have the allegiance over half the owls in Britain. He could, if he wished, have an owl uprising. Maybe he could have them direct him to an abandoned tower where he could set up his rulership over them and only have to talk to people he liked. He could invite Sirius up to live with him, where they could avoid each other in person instead of long-distance. They'd imprison Snape in the dungeons so he could whip up Wolfsbane every now and then (or just teach Remus how to do it, because honestly, who wanted Snape around, even in the dungeon?) The owls could carry Remus on their backs and he'd be the first ever flying werewolf.

Remus shook himself out of his thoughts. Things were getting weird. Besides- he'd ridden a broom; he was _already_ a flying werewolf. He picked up the next non-Howler (he thought he might see one out his window but was choosing to ignore it) and opened it using his wand, not taking his chances. He supposed he was continuing to do this out of some masochistic urge to not leave any letter unread. Well, at least he wasn't replying to any of them.

_'Werewolf, you are an abomination to wizard-kind, I hope the Ministry passes a law that requires you all to be castrated so that none of you ever have children. You're all filthy rapists, you stay away from those innocent students, they don't need you-'_

The letter continued in this strain, and Remus didn't even bother to read it to the end. He crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash bin, watching the owl bearing the Howler zoom in the window. The owl dropped it in the box, and Remus lazily waited for it to explode. He cast a Silencing Charm on it immediately, wishing he couldn't read the big red lips as they shouted things like "corruption of youth" and "the dregs of wizarding society" and other such charming phrases.

Ten minutes later, another letter came flying in. He suddenly hoped that the owls all remembered to go outside to do their business...would they be that polite when he was their overlord? Would he be the ruler of a tower covered in owl droppings? Bombarded with a host of new worries, he opened the next one.

_'Dear Lupin,'_ it began, which was a fair deal more polite than others. _'I can't believe this. I don't know if you were a werewolf when we were at Hogwarts together...' _Oh no. Something likes this was what he had dreaded most. _'...but I suspect that you were, which only fuels my rage and indignation at Dumbledore further. Imagine, letting a monster like you sit next to innocent children like me in Charms, Transfiguration, and every other bloody class we had! I am ashamed to admit that had a crush on you in fourth year, a memory that boils my blood as I think of the beast you were hiding inside. What if we had kissed? You would have made me a werewolf just like you, and then you'd be able to control me, turn me wicked like you were! I grieve for the child you must have been at some point, although I never got the change to know the real Remus Lupin, only the savage that replaced him._

_-Mary McDonald, a person who thought she was your friend'_

Remus, all of a sudden, was struggling not to cry. Mary McDonald. The number of times they had chatted, had laughed together, sat next to each other in class, were uncountable. They had grown up together. For seven years they had lived in the same castle, eaten the same food, studied the same classes. He had always been willing to help her with Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, or Transfiguration, while she had always been ready to lend a helping hand in Potions when James and Sirius were too busy laughing at him and Slughorn too busy trying to pretend he didn't exist. And now she thought he was a monster.

There was a soft coo from his left, and Remus dimly realized that another owl had flown in. He numbly grasped the envelope, willing his fingers to tear it up so he'd never had to read another letter like that again. But, out of force of habit, he untied the ribbon holding the parchment together.

_'Dear Professor Lupin'_

No, that couldn't be. Not his students too.

_Thank you for all your help this year. Even though Professor Snape's been even worse to me this year, it was you who helped me to stop being afraid of him. Every time he did something cruel I thought of him in my grandmother's silly clothes. Thank you for always being there when I needed you. Your cups of tea kept me from crying every day. Thank you for not hating me when I messed up and Sirius Black got in the castle and never making fun of me. You're the best DADA teacher we've ever, or ever will, have, and I don't care if you're a werewolf, because you're such a good person. Everyone in our class thinks so too, except Malfoy, but I think he's just scared. Gran says that we should judge people their actions, not the station in which they're born, or something like that, and I guess that applies to people like you. I hope I'm not insulting you, I'm not trying to._

_I really really wish you didn't have to leave this year. Hogwarts just won't be the same. I've never enjoyed myself outside Herbology so much before. You made me realize that regular school can be fun sometimes too. I expect you know already, but my parents were never around when I was little, and Gran's great, but she's strict, you know, and you're, well, you're what I always imagined a...no, it's too embarrassing to write. You get my meaning; you're the smartest professor I know._

_I hope your next job is even better than working at Hogwarts._

_Thank you, Professor Lupin,_

_With regards (is that the right goodbye?)_

_Neville Longbottom'_

Hands shaking, Remus stared at the letter, at Neville's shaky handwriting when he almost told Lupin that he-that _he_, Remus John Lupin, was like a_ father_ to someone, and felt something in him break, something let loose the dam that had been building up inside him, and he let out a sob.

There was another hoot, much louder, and he looked at the window to see three more owls fighting to get in the room. Remus took their letters and looked at the writers of each one. Dean Thomas. Cedric Diggory. Ginny Weasley.

His sobs suddenly turned to laughter. No matter what happened now, no matter what was in store for him and Sirius, he was Hogwarts' favorite professor, handpicked by the students themselves.

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So, I know that Neville's letter may seem a bit extreme in his liking of Lupin, but we nevert really get Neville's side of things, not until Deathly Hallows at least- who knows what sort of guidance Lupin offered to other students? Even in GoF, when imposter!Mad-Eye gives Neville that Herbology book, its "something Professor Lupin would have done." So, in regards to that, I don't think it stretches the suspension of disbelief.

Reviews are love! :)


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